From WO 2012/045494 A1, a printing forme changing system having a storage device associated with a printing unit is known, wherein in a further development thereof, carrier elements in the form of changing magazines that can be inserted into the storage device can be conveyed, pre-loaded, by means of appropriate transport devices through the print shop to the printing unit, where they can be inserted manually or by means of a manipulator. The printing formes to be mounted are removed by a transfer unit from the storage device, which can be shifted to a working state, and are fed to the forme cylinder in question. For returning used plates, a return storage unit is provided, which in the preferred embodiment is arranged spaced horizontally from the printing unit and can be moved to a receiving position close to the printing couple by a combined vertical and pivoting movement.
DE 10 2006 032 204 B3 relates to a method for supplying printing formes at the location where they will be mounted on a forme cylinder, wherein a printing forme to be mounted is transported in a transport module from exposure up to the mounting location, where it is conveyed by a transport device of the transport module from said module to the forme cylinder, and mounting is supported by a roller element integrated into the module. The module can have an additional chute for receiving at least one printing forme to be removed. The printing unit to be supplied with printing formes has two printing couples, one above the other, which define two different planes of the printing unit, designated as the lower and an upper plane, in the vertical direction. In one embodiment of the printing unit, the two printing couples cooperate over a horizontally extending path, and in another embodiment each cooperates with another printing couple over a vertically extending path. In a first embodiment, on the operating side of the printing unit, for each printing couple plane a transport track, extending horizontally parallel to the cylinder axis, and a lifting device, arranged in an alignment that extends laterally adjacent to the printing unit and connecting the two horizontal transport tracks, are provided. The module which has been moved to the horizontal transport track of the upper printing couple plane can be pivotable downward for mounting the printing forme at the end face of said module having the opening, and the module which has been moved to the horizontal transport track of the lower printing couple plane can be pivotable with its opening facing upward. In an alternative embodiment, only one horizontal transport track extends at half the height between the two printing couple planes, with the transport modules for the upper and lower planes being arranged rotated 180° relative to one another on the horizontal transport track.
GB 2 413 530 A discloses a printing forme changing system assigned to a printing tower and having a printing forme module, the cartridge of which is arranged, e.g. detachably on a printing forme loading module. In the printing forme module, printing formes are held one above the other on a plurality of support elements arranged in the manner of trays, the support elements in one embodiment being movable independently of one another by means of a drive mechanism assigned to the printing forme module, and those in another embodiment being movable by means of a mechanism provided on the printing forme loading module in the longitudinal direction of the printing formes between a storage position and an outer position. The printing forme loading module comprises a pivotable printing forme loading head, by which a printing forme arranged in the outer position directly above the channel can be held by means of suction pads and pressed into the channel. The system, which comprises the printing forme loading module and the printing forme module, can be moved vertically within an intermediate space between a frame section that supports the printing couple cylinder and a frame section that supports the inking units and is moved away for the printing forme change, between a parking position and the printing couples located at different heights, on a linear guide via a gear wheel, which interacts with a gear rack that is fixed to the frame, and which is driven by means of a motor, which is carried along. The cartridge is loaded with the printing formes of the printing tower, e.g., on site or in a pre-press area, wherein in the second case, it is transported to the printing tower by means of a belt system, for example.
DE 10 2008 036 053 A1 discloses a printing machine having a printing tower which comprises two printing units arranged one above the other. In this case, printing plate cartridges can be translocated vertically in such a way that, when they are lowered into the region of the lower printing unit, they can be loaded with printing plates, receiving said plates in the proper orientation and/or with precise positioning, and the printing plate cartridges loaded in this manner can be raised with a lifting device from the lower printing unit into the region of the printing unit positioned vertically above the lower printing unit. In a first embodiment, this translocation takes place between positions, with the printing plate cartridge extending in projection between the axial ends of the printing couple cylinders. In another embodiment, the vertical translocation takes place between positions when the printing plate cartridge, as viewed in projection, is located to the side of the printing couple cylinder. Once a printing plate cartridge which has been loaded in this manner with precise positioning has been raised, the printing plates can be accessed by means of a fully automatic or partially automatic printing plate changing device.
EP 1 193 061 A1 discloses a materials lifting apparatus in a printing machine, via which, in one embodiment, new and used printing formes can be transported between a lower and an upper operating plane. The lifting apparatus is located adjacent to a printing section in a frame and comprises racks arranged one above the other on a circulating means embodied as a chain, wherein the chain can be driven by means of a motor fixed to the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,028 A also discloses a printing plate lifting apparatus. In this case, individual printing formes can be hung on bars, which are attached, continuously or each at only the end of the printing forme to be hung, to two chains circulating spaced from one another.
EP 2 186 638 A2 discloses a receiving device for printing plates, which has a rail with an angled section, in which angled ends of printing formes can be suspended, one above the other and side by side. In one embodiment, a rail for new plates, and below this a rail for old printing plates can be provided. The old plates and new plates can be transferred by a handling device, embodied as a robot arm, between the forme cylinder and the respective rail.
DE 10 2008 045 679 A1 discloses a printing machine and a method for handling printing plates, which enables a fully automated transport of plate storage devices, which have been pre-loaded by means of a manipulator. The loaded plate storage devices can be conveyed vertically from a first plane to a second plane by means of a cartridge lifting apparatus. In the second conveyor plane, the cartridges can be conveyed horizontally, in order to translocate each of these into the region of the printing couples of the specific printing unit for which the conveyed printing plates are being supplied. The printing plates are unloaded from the storage device and are fed to the plate cylinders close to the printing couple by means of a manipulator arm. Old plates that are removed during a printing plate change are either disposed of on-site in the area around the printing couples or transferred to the cartridge and fed automatically to a disposal area.
DE 10 2008 044 228 A1 discloses a printing unit having a lower machine plane and having printing couples that lie beyond the range of the lower machine plane. Printing forme magazines which are the width of a plurality of printing formes are assigned to forme cylinders of the printing unit, and are mounted rigidly in the printing couple or pivotably in the printing couple between a working position and an idle position. The printing forme magazines provided in different vertical positions can be loaded by means of a handling device, in which the printing formes to be newly applied are held on vertically movable platforms. The platforms can be loaded in advance by means of a distributing device. The handling device can comprise a vertically movable storage unit for used printing plates beneath the lowest of its platforms.
DE 10 2007 024 607 A1 relates to a method and a device for handling printing plates, in which printing plates to be applied are moved in a continuous circulating conveyor to a position close to the printing tower, where they are transferred by means of a transfer device to a horizontal conveyor and are finally picked up by a handling arm and placed in the plate cylinder position. In a modified embodiment, the horizontal conveyor can be dispensed with, in which case the printing forme is picked up by the handling arm directly from the continuous conveyor. Used printing plates can be transported back in the opposite direction using the same conveyors.
DE 44 42 265 A1 relates to a transport system for transporting printing formes, in which printing formes are transferred by a primary transport means at a transfer station close to the printing tower to a secondary transport system, which in a first embodiment comprises a vertically circulating loop or is embodied overall as such. At the unloading station provided in each machine plane, a printing plate to be applied can be removed from the loop in the corresponding state from the provided opening and applied. The printing plate can be unloaded manually or by means of a plate handling system. The unloading station is preferably embodied such that used, removed printing plates can be returned and transported back via the transfer device.
From DE 40 03 445 A1, an automatic plate infeed and cylinder loading system is known, in which a carriage carrying printing plates to be newly applied can be moved along a guide path extending at the end faces of a plurality of printing units. Between two neighboring printing units, a further guide path is provided, along which a handling device for unloading printing plates from the carriage can be moved.
DE 198 04 106 A1 discloses a transport system and a method for conveying printing plates, wherein printing plates to be applied in a lower of two printing couples are or will be held in reserve in a lower printing forme storage device and printing plates to be applied in the upper printing couple are or will be held in reserve in an upper printing plate storage device. In order to apply the lower printing plates to the lower forme cylinder, the printing plates are removed from the lower printing plate storage device by conveyor means assigned to the lower printing couple, and are applied to the assigned forme cylinder. The same applies accordingly to the upper printing couple and to corresponding upper conveying means.
DE 10 2009 000 750 A1 discloses a storage device that can be moved vertically by means of a lifting apparatus on the printing tower. To convey printing formes from the storage device to respective magazines assigned to the printing couples arranged vertically, one above the other, a printing forme feeding system is provided, by which a printing forme arranged in the storage device can be lifted and conveyed horizontally to the magazine.
DE 10 2006 032 201 A1 relates to a handling apparatus for handling printing plates in a printing machine comprising a plurality of modules for different development stages. A plate mounting and unclamping system comprises a module for releasing the printing forms from the forme cylinder, a module for receiving the released printing formes and a module for mounting new printing formes. In addition, a module embodied as a handling apparatus may be provided, which comprises a handling apparatus for disposing of used printing formes. Finally, a module embodied as a transport device can be proviced, by which the new printing formes can be transported to the printing couple and the used printing formes can be transported away from the printing couple.